


Black, Some Sugar

by misura



Category: Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Fiona and Mandor meet for coffee, after.
Relationships: Fiona/Mandor (Chronicles of Amber)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Black, Some Sugar

There was a subtle delight in watching Mandor watch her, the way the tension in his body ebbed bit by bit until he caught her looking and smiled at her as if to say: 'yes, I believe you mean me no harm'.

He really was an excellent liar, Fiona reflected happily. Not, quite, a fratricide, nor had he aspired to be one - quite. But then, she hardly considered herself in a position to cast stones.

"You don't trust me," she said, mostly to see if he might become more charming still. (A boring quality in itself, but pleasing in combination with other qualities.)

"I hold you in the greatest admiration and, dare I say, affection," Mandor returned.

The coffee had been delicious.

Fiona smiled at him. "But?"

"No buts. My feelings are as unchanging and solid as the very rock on which this castle was built," Mandor declared.

Fiona called to memory a spell to check for seismic instability and fault lines.

He smiled as she cast it - as she had rather hoped he would, which was why she had perhaps not made much of an effort to conceal her actions from him.

"You must know that in Amber, we are no strangers to intrigue, or family strife," she said, as her spell confirmed what might be truth. It hardly mattered for her purposes, though it pleased her all the same.

"Not revenge either, I do not think," he said. "In lieu of pleading for mercy, may I offer you these little cakes?"

"One, perhaps, or I fear you will quite spoil my appetite for dinner."

Mandor bowed. His manners and form were nearly as exquisite as the refreshments. "May I be so bold as to inquire - ?"

"I believe you are entirely bold enough for any number of things," Fiona told him.

His smile might have doubled as a work of art. "You flatter me."

"I believe you started it, a good time before we even had the pleasure of meeting in person."

"Neither my fantasies nor my idle speculations could have hoped to do you justice, my lady," he said. "Indeed, the prospect of a future in which you were to regard me without favor cannot but fill me with despair."

Even Flora, Fiona thought with more amusement than unkindness, might have found that one somewhat less than credible. "A bit much, don't you think?"

"Perhaps." Mandor shrugged. "I confess, while I enjoyed our time together, it did not afford me nearly as much time as I might have wished to truly get to know you. In these matters, I have found that it is often better to overstate one's feelings and be thought a fool than to understate one's feelings and be thought cold or uncaring."

Fiona allowed the corners of her lips to curl. "I rather imagine that few people who consider you a fool do not come to regret that assessment sooner or later."

"Whichever suits me best, of course," Mandor said. "But then, you are not most people. And the fact remains, I might concede you have cause to feel vexed by some of my actions."

"Well," Fiona said. "Facts."

A grin now: less innocence and more something worth sticking around for. "Some people do put a great deal of stock in them, I've found."

"As they should, I'm sure."

Mandor sighed. "Alas. Still, by your tone, may I hope - ?"

"You may hope to get a chance to impress me with dinner. And possibly breakfast, though that would take a great deal of impressing indeed."

His eyes widened in a lovely imitation of honest surprise mixed with genuine delight. He would, Fiona judged, make for a fine amusement and perhaps even, eventually, a dear friend, though the road to that state would be long indeed.

"I will do my utmost," he said.

"I believe that I will have another cup of coffee," Fiona replied.

As excellent as the first cup, she did not doubt, though the taste hardly registered.


End file.
